


As the World Falls Down

by McDanno_Girl



Series: Unfamilar Road [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, First Time, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-17
Updated: 2013-10-17
Packaged: 2017-12-29 11:57:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McDanno_Girl/pseuds/McDanno_Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the dance, Danny has an epiphany.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As the World Falls Down

**Author's Note:**

> Coda to episode 3.06. There is some very brief inner dialogue about the events of September 11, 2001. Nothing graphic and nothing disrespectful (I hope), but I wanted to put the warning out there in case it's a trigger for some people.
> 
> Many thanks to angstydaydreams for the hand holding and the quick read through.
> 
> Title is from the David Bowie song of the same name. 
> 
> _But I'll be there for you_   
>  _As the world falls down_

His Monkey was in his arms but Danny's mind was hours and miles and even years away. Today's events mixed with the memories of that day eleven years ago until the images all jumbled together so that when he closed his eyes, it was Steve bleeding out in that chair next to him instead of his old New Jersey partner. He knew he should try to push it all aside until after the dance but sadly, his brain seemed to have other plans.

Even Gracie asking him, her Danno, if he was OK couldn't seem to pull him completely out of his thoughts. And to add to the list of oh about a thousand reasons why this day was shitty, he had lied to her. Not exactly lied… but definitely only told her the partial truth. Although he was certain that she had already learned about September 11th in her history classes, he didn't think she was old enough to learn how the tragedy of that day saved his life. And how his (admittedly misplaced) guilt over being a survivor in such an ephemeral way was one of the reasons he and Rachel had started having problems. Because seriously, how do you wrap your head around the knowledge that the worst act of terrorism on American soil saved your life?

He didn't like lying to her but he just didn't know how to tell her what happened today. How close she came to losing him. Again. And how could he tell his baby girl how hard it was to walk away from Steve – even for her? But he had. Back held straight and a swagger to his step that belied how fucking terrified he still was. A quick wave and thank you to the bomb techs. And not a single glance behind him. He knew if he looked back, if he saw Steve still standing there with tears in his eyes, he might not have the strength to leave. And he had to. He had to get to his Monkey like he promised.

So yeah, it was much easier to tell her he was thinking of that horrific day so long ago and that it was a good day. Because up until him and his partner Grace had entered that slaughter house, it had been a very good day. 

And now Grace was again looking at him like she thought he wasn't having any fun. So he ran a hand through his hair and asked her for a hug. After holding her tight for perhaps a few seconds too long, he kissed the top of her head. Then he smiled and did all he could to put today, and September 11th, out of his mind for now to concentrate on dancing to the noise that was called popular music.

~H~5~0~

Two hours later, Danny sat in the Camaro a couple blocks away from Rachel and Stan's. He had pulled over just minutes after dropping off Grace. As soon as he didn't need to put on a brave face for her anymore, the day had came rushing back to him. His hands started to shake and he could feel his heart beating faster. He knew he was on the verge of a full blown panic attack if he didn't get himself under control soon.

So he sat there for who knows how long with his hands over his face as he took countless deep breaths. God, he so didn't want to be alone tonight. A quick glance at the clock told him it was still relatively early. Chances are, Steve would still be awake. And if anyone understood what Danny was going through right now it would be Steve.

Steve.

Thinking of Steve caused Danny's stomach to twist in a not all that unpleasant way. 

Interesting.

It had been hard to walk away today, Danny knew that. He just figured it was some sort of brothers in arms or codependent survivor feelings or something. And there was that twisting sensation in his gut again. What the hell?

Danny recognized this feeling. This was how it felt when he thought about someone he really liked. 

Huh. That couldn't be right.

Danny was into girls. He liked breasts, and curves, and the warm velvety heat of a woman to make love to. He wasn't into guys. OK, except that one time with his roommate's best friend in college but that didn't count, right? They were both drunk and a sloppy hand job followed by an even sloppier blowjob hardly counted as gay sex. Besides _,_ _college_. Right?

But Steve... 

Steve who had spent who knows how much money on a room for him and Grace at a fancy hotel. Steve who always, _always_ had Danny's back. Steve who had stayed right by Danny's side even when it looked like the end today. Even after Danny told him to leave. Steve who had cried. _Had fucking cried_.

For all the times Danny teased Steve about having the social skills and emotional capacity of a rock, Danny knew that Steve cared. It showed in the way he made sure that Danny missed as few visitations with Grace as possible. It showed every time the self-sacrificing bastard put himself in harm’s way in an attempt to keep his team, his ohana, safe and alive. Through his actions, Danny had seen Steve care so much that Danny was surprised the man hadn't broken yet. But he had never, not once, seen him cry. 

And yet he had cried today.

The man who didn't cry when he heard his own father murdered.

The man who didn't cry at the funeral.

The man who didn't cry when his sister was kidnapped, and later rescued.

The man who had shown so little emotion at all in regards to the return of his not as dead as she was pretending to be mother. 

This man. This highly trained soldier who had probably seen and lived through more shit than the entire Five-0 task force combined, had cried when the bomb technician gave the all clear.

At first Danny thought that it was because Steve was just as grateful as him to be given yet one more chance at life. But then they embraced and Danny could feel the hesitation. He could feel how Steve was reluctant to let him go – even for Grace. 

And suddenly, a lot of things about Steve started to make sense. The goofy faces that seemed to only make an appearance around Danny. The constant need to be a part of almost every single aspect of Danny's life. The extravagent gifts. His taking Danny to special places from his childhood. 

Danny was almost certain that Steve might be a little in love with him. Danny was also certain that he might be a little in love with Steve. And wasn't that just a punch to the stomach?

Decision on how to spend the rest of his evening made, Danny turned the car back on and headed to Piikoi Street.

~H~5~0~

Danny had barely knocked once when the door opened. Steve was still wearing the same clothes Danny had seen him in last. And the broad grin on his face at seeing Danny did nothing to hide how his eyes were red rimmed and a little too wide.

“What? No tie?” Yeah, the snark wasn't hiding anything either. Danny was wise to Steve now.

Before Steve could say anything else, Danny wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. With his face mashed against Steve's chest breathing in the salty, sweaty smell of his best friend, it was all he could do to keep himself from starting to cry again. And fuck if he was going to let himself cry twice in one day.

Danny didn't know how long they stayed like that, arms wrapped tight around each other in a silent hug. But if felt good. And if he was being honest with himself, it felt right. Like home. 

Pulling away after what felt like forever and not long enough at the same time, he thumped Steve's chest. “Don't think I'm not pissed at you for staying with me.”

“Danny I -”

“No. Unh unh. I'm talking here. Do you see me talking? Well I am. Doing the talking. You were supposed to leave. You were supposed to walk away so that if... so that if I –“ Danny found he couldn't actually say the words 'if I died' out loud. He paused for a moment to collect himself. “And I get it. I really do. God help me I'm not sure I would've done differently had our roles been reversed. And that right there...” He trailed off before finishing.

Steve's eyebrows scrunched together in the beginnings of one of his many faces that Danny suddenly realized he found incredibly endearing. But when Steve opened his mouth like he was going to try and talk again, Danny raised his hand.

“Today has made me realize a few things and... well... I'm going to try something here Steve. Please for the love of all that is good in the world, don't hit me.” As he was talking, Danny placed a hand on either side of Steve's face and leaned close to ever so lightly brush his lips against Steve's. After not hearing a protest or being shoved away, he pressed his lips to Steve's again. This time more firmly.

For a long moment, long enough for Danny to think he had read today's events horribly, horribly wrong, Steve didn't respond. And just as Danny was about to pull away, Steve's mouth opened to his and his arms wrapped around Danny's waist and back pulling Danny flush against his body.

Danny hadn't ever really thought of how Steve might kiss. If asked, he would have assumed that Steve kissed like he did everything else – hard, fast, a little reckless, and maybe a little painful. This was nothing like that. Steve's kiss was soft, gentle, with the barest hint of tongue and Danny soon lost track of who was making those tiny mewling groans that were far hotter than they should be.

So the stubble might take some getting used to. And the fact that he could feel Steve's growing arousal pressing into his body was... interesting. But as Steve walked backwards into the house not letting his lips leave Danny's for one second as he shut the door and crowded Danny against the wall, bending his knees a little so Danny didn't have to strain his neck to kiss him, Danny realized that he didn't care. He wanted Steve. He wanted this. He was all in. 

And sure, they had things to figure out. Like how to work together after this. And a hopefully very short talk about Catherine because yeah, Danny doesn’t share. But all that could wait. Right now, Steve's mouth was on his neck, and Steve's left hand was pushing his jacket off him while his right hand was doing something positively wicked to Danny's cock. He didn’t think he’d been this turned on from over the clothes fondling since high school. 

A soft snort against his neck made him realize that he had just said that last part out loud. Maybe even all of it. 

“Not a word McGarrett. Not. One. Word. Or I swear to God I'll -” Danny's words were cut off by a loud groan as Steve kissed him again and the hand over his cock squeezed just so. 

Danny reached up to unbutton his shirt but Steve broke off from the kiss and swatted his hands away. 

“Danny, I... can I? I've been wanting... I just need...” And if Danny knew Steve at all, he knew how hard it was for him to say even that much. So he just brushed his thumb across Steve's cheek.

“Yeah babe. OK.”

Steve wasted no time in unbuttoning Danny's shirt and pushing it off his shoulders letting it fall to floor. And then his hands were on Danny's chest. Exploring. Tangling his fingers in Danny's copious amounts of golden hair. Tweaking a nipple. Doing it again when he heard the moan it illicited from Danny.

Then the hands were gone and Danny watched as Steve gracefully dropped to his knees in front of him, kissing his way down Danny's stomach to lick at the skin under the waistband of Danny's slacks.

With his mouth still pressed against Danny's stomach, Steve looked up at him. His fingers toyed with Danny's belt, silently asking for permission.

Feeling a little overwhelmed by how _not_ strange this all was, all Danny could do was nod.

After one last kiss to Danny's stomach, Steve quickly gets Danny's belt and pants opened then tugged halfway down his legs. And Danny's not proud to admit it but he almost comes right then and there when Steve fucking _nuzzles_ his hard cock through his boxers then mouths along the length of him, sucking a little when he reaches the spot damp with Danny's precome. 

Steve pushes his boxers down and the cool air hitting his cock as it springs free causes Danny to gasp. But the coolness is quickly replaced by heat. The heat of Steve's hand circled around the base. The heat of Steve's tongue as he licks the underside then suckles the head before taking him in deep and Danny can't help but thrust a little into that oh so perfect warmth.

Danny could hear himself babbling but he didn't care. It felt too good. Warm, wet, and too goddamn perfect. Steve and his talented mouth and tongue had him close to the edge embarassingly fast. 

He tapped his hand against Steve's shoulder but Steve just looked up at him through those long lashes of his and _smiled_ around his cock before taking it deeper, his throat fluttering around the head like he was trying to swallow Danny whole.

And that was it. With a hoarse cry Danny came so hard it almost doubled him over. 

During the few seconds it took for his brain to reboot, Danny was only aware of sensations. Steve's strong hands on his hips, holding him firmly against the wall. The softness of Steve's hair as he ran his hands through it. The feel of Steve's mouth as he placed kisses and gentle licks on Danny's stomach between heavy breaths. 

“C'mere, c'mere,” Danny panted, fisting his hands in Steve's shirt and pulling him up. Their lips met in a messy kiss and Danny chased the taste of himself on Steve's tongue.

With barely functioning fingers, Danny unbuttoned Steve's cargo pants and circled his hand around Steve's cock. The broken half whimper, half sob Steve made against Danny's mouth at the first twist of Danny's wrist made his own cock valiantly try to get hard again. But twenty-one, he was not. 

Danny had no idea what he was doing but he knew what felt good to him and figured the mechanics had to be the same. It was rough and not sexy. No lube and the angle was awkward and Danny's fingers still felt clumsy and too large. But Steve didn't seem to mind. He was coming hard, gasping Danny's name after just a few short strokes. The sticky mess landing on Danny's torso and legs in warm, white stripes.

They stayed like that for a few moments, sharing breaths between kisses before Danny's knee decided it had had enough. 

He slid slowly down the wall, Steve falling with him to land between Danny's legs, curling himself into Danny's lap, pressing his forehead against Danny's neck. Danny closed his eyes letting his head fall back against the wall as he absently ran his hand up and down Steve's back.

It didn't take long for his knee to protest this position as well though so he gently nudged Steve. “Think we can take this cuddle session somewhere more horizontal G.I. Joe?”

“Navy Danny. Navy,” Steve half-heartedly protested as he stood up then helped Danny to his feet. “And I wasn't cuddling.”

“Oh please. No really, it's cute how you think that but you, my friend, were a heartbeat away from purring.”

The exchange was so normal, so _them_ , Danny couldn't help but smile as he followed Steve up the stairs to the bedroom, his fingers gripping the hem of Steve's shirt. Because hey, now that he knew he was allowed to touch, now that he knew he _wanted_ to touch, he was going to. As often as he could.

So yeah, things were going to change. Drastically. But _they_ were going to be OK.

And that's all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> Series title is from the Phillip Phillips song "Home."
> 
> This was my first foray into explicit-ish m/m sexy times. Please be gentle.


End file.
